The Thing About Life
by flamingflight
Summary: When wealthy, city boy Ranma Saotome promised his Warmate that he will tell the Warmate's fiancee if he should die...Ranma doesn't know what he expects...or what heartache was in store for him...


The Thing About Life  
By Max-chan  
  
Author's Notes: Very weird and very confusing. Yet, in my opinion, still waffy. :)  
  
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
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Part I: The Boy That Went Away  
Her tears couldn't be stopped now, they were endless rivers of her pain and desolation. Of the hopelessness in her soul. He saw it and bit his bottom lip, afraid of her pain, afraid of her hurt. Yet what could he possibly do? What could he say to ease the pain she felt? Nothing...he could say and do nothing...nothing at all. He could stay here with her, drop his bags and take her in his arms, staying with her forever...like she wanted...like he wanted...but he won't...because he was raised to be a man...and he is a man...and men do not run from their duty and responsibility.  
  
She saw him straighten and his shoulders stiffen as his jaw tightened and his beautiful, dark eyes grew hard. She saw it then before her very eyes...he was no longer the boy that she loved...he was a man...no longer hers...  
She wanted to run into his arms and hold on tight begging him not to leave and not to go...to stay with her always like he promised...but she couldn't...and she won't...because unlike the boy who loved her so...he was a man...and men do not put their feelings ahead of their duty. So all she could do was clutch the hankersheif she had in her trembling hands to her bosom and bite down hard on her quivering bottom lip. He was leaving.  
  
They stood there staring at each other, his light brown bag of clothes and belongings between them...a wall...just another damn wall...  
He saw her beautiful brown eyes fill up with tears again and felt his resolve slacken. He had to leave now...before he was too weak to let her go...  
Holding out his hand he cleared his throat like he always watched his father do when he was a boy and said, "Well, I guess this is good-bye." She stared at the hand he held outstretched to her like a venomous, foreign snake and looked at him with a deeper hurt in her eyes. In all their years together he never once tried to shake her hand...it was always for the grown-ups and sophisticated folks from town.  
  
"Please don't look at me like that, A-chan," he pleaded, his eyes imploring hers to understand.  
"Just go," she whispered and tried to turn away but he reached out and pulled at her elbow. They both flinched as if the contact was burning.  
  
"Please don't do this. Don't let it end this way. I'll come back. I promise," he whispered, his voice harsh with emotion, "And then we'll marry like we always planned we would. With golden dandelions everywhere just like we planned. You'll see."  
"But what if-" she started and he held a finger to her soft lips, "No what ifs A-chan. Just now. Whatever happens...happens...but please...will you wait for me?"  
"You know I always will," she smiled softly.  
  
He smiled in return and regretfully let her go as he picked up his bag of clothes. Smiling again he saluted her.  
"Good-bye Akane Tendo," he said.  
She kissed her handkersheif then placed it on his lips, "Good-bye Ryoga Hibiki." And she watched as the love of her life went off to the terrible devastation we all call War.  
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Part II: The Girl Back At Home  
Seargent Kuno Tatewaki made his rounds checking up on the tents shared by two soldiers each. After he checked up on them, Ryoga laid back down and sighed as he clutched a small picture to his chest.   
"Your girl?" his tentmate and newfound friend asked gesturing at his pitcure and Ryoga nodded. He was really in awe of War and especially of the boy of the same age next to him. Ranma Saotome was raised in the city and his family was incrdibly rich and wealthy. He was sophisticated and tough and knew the things about the world.  
  
Ranma looked at the boy laying there and grinned to himself. The kid really was naive to the ways of the world. From what the kid told him, Ranma found out Ryoga was raised all his life in the country on a farm of some sort and has never been to the city. He didn't have beautiful, sophisticated clothes or know any city tricks for his family was moderate and lived from season to season. *Now this really tops it off* Ranma thought *he's faithful to only one girl. I probably have millions of girls back at home waiting for me. Not including Ukyo or Shan Pu.*  
  
"Let me see," he said and Ryoga handed the picture over. What Ranma saw was a  
cute-looking, missing her two front teeth, little 7-year-old blue-haired child.  
"This is your sweetheart?" Ranma asked skeptically as he handed the picture back. Ryoga blushed and said, "This was the only photo I have of her. She's as old as I am now. She's 17 too."  
"Whatever," the wealthy boy said as he laid back down.  
  
After awhile Ryoga spoke up and said, "Ranma...if I...if I...don't make it out there tomorrow...can you be the one to go back and tell Akane for me? I don't want her to find out from some stranger. Tell her I died heroically in battle, okay?"  
Usually, Ranma being the guy that he is wouldn't give a damn what happens to the girl but Ryoga was his friend and so he said, "Okay, I promise, Ryoga. Now, get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." Ranma will forever curse the day he made that promise.  
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Part III: The Days Fades To Years  
Kasumi looked worridly at her sister through the window of the kitchen. Akane was in their big backyard on the wooden swing that papa had made for her and Ryoga. She had played on that swing everyday for the past 3 years since Ryoga had left when she was but 16. The blossoms of the tree drifted down to her and instead of wearing a bonnet to protect her skin or a gloves to protect her hands all she wore was a virginal, pure white dress and straw sandals, her dark, short blue hair covered by pink petals.   
  
Kasumi felt a pair of strong arms circle her mid-section and she leaned into her husband as she said, "What am I going to do about her? I mean we all miss Ryoga but she has to learn to let him go. It's been 3 years already and she's approachinf marriageable age. She can't wait for him forever."  
"She won't," Tofu said soothingly, "He was her first love and childhood sweetheart and friend. She'll get over him. You'll see."  
"I hope you're right," Kasumi sighed before letting the light pink curtains fall down covering the window.  
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Part IV: The War That Lasted To Long  
He walked down the path to the city and watched as the other surviving soldiers were embraced by their family and friends. After 6 years, the War was finally over. Suddenly, he felt arms hugging him tightly from behind and smiled as he stared down at Shampoo and Ukyo. His father and mother hugged him and all the other girls and guys hugged him. He was happy but he still had unfinsihed business. Reaching into his bag he pulled out an old, worn picture of a little dark, blue-haired girl.  
"Who's that, Ran-chan?" Ukyo asked and all Ranma could say was, "A favor I owe."  
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Part V: Stranger With News Of Death  
He stood in front of the large oak doorway on the clear white porch. Trees and fields surrounded the large 3-story house and Ranma shuddered in his expensive clothes as he wondered how Ryoga could live around such an isolated place. Straightening he raised his hand and knocked on the door. Soon, a beautiful, bruntte in a long blue skirt and white apron opened the door, a welcoming smile on her face.  
  
"Yes?" she asked him in a musical tone. *Boy, I hope all country girls are this sweet and pretty* he thought nervously to himself.  
"Yes, ma'am, can you tell me where I can find a 22-year-old girl by the name of Akane Tendo?" he asked and saw her smile fade. She noticed his soldier uniform then and picture he held in his hand. Nodding she opened the door wider and motioned for him to enter the spacious home.  
"My sister is in the backyard on her swing, please just walk into the kitchen and out the back door," she said and he nodded and headed for where she said.  
  
"Oh and sir," he heard her say behind him and stopped without turning around, "If you happen to carry bad news with you...break it to her gently...please...she can't take the pain now..."  
He nodded once and walked towards the back door as he wondered not for the first time why he ever agreed to this.  
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Part VI: The Blossom Dryad  
He closed the backdoor behind him and felt as if he had entered a secret hidden paradise not meant for human eyes or mortal touch. Trees and trees of blossoms surrounded the backyard like a fence from the greater pastures and lush green grass along with blossoms of all colors were on the ground. In the center of it all sat a Queen on her Throne. She sat there on the old wooden spring, her flawless small hands clutching at the ropes. She wore a sheer white dress and two straw sandals dangled from her feet. Her dark-blue sea hair was short and thick coverered by her precious blossoms...too silky for human hands. She was humming a song from her soft, pink lips andhe strained to hear the music.  
He had entered paradise.  
And his dryad sat waiting for him.  
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Part VII: Honor Be Damned  
Akane opened her eyes and saw the soldier in her backyard. In his hand was the photo she had given to Ryoga so many years ago...and she knew without asking what he was here for...  
Jumping up from her swing she screamed a loud "NO!" as she clutched at the ropes of her swing like a lifeline trying to deny the obvious in front of her. She didn't notice the man or the awe for all she saw was the soldier's uniform and the photo in his hand. She had known all along that it would come down to this...for it was too long...she had waited too long...  
  
"Please...Miss..." the man his hand to her and it was then that she looked up at him...into his searching crystal blue gaze. It was over...Ryoga was dead...and with a defeated almost relieved sigh she closed her eyes to the world as she fell over unconcious.  
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Part VIII: And The Grieving Process Beginds Once Again  
He watched as her eyelids fluttered and she moaned softly. Looking over the couch where the dryad laid he saw her sister, the beautiful girl in the white apron from before, being comforted by her husband the Dr. What's-his-name.  
"Oh dear, Akane dear, are you alright?" the angel in the apron asked the dryad.   
"K-Kasumi?" the dryad asked as she clutched onto her sister's frail hand and slowly entered the concious world once more.  
  
Ranma watched as the dark, blue-haired dryad sat up slowly on the old, worn couch and looked around dazedly. When her hot, liquid brown eyes landed on him she pulled in a large gasp of breath as her memories stormed back to her. He watched as her eyes told him everything she felt like...*windows to the soul* he thought. First, shock, then denial and finally raw, pure, ill-disguised pain.  
"No," the girl sobbed out as tears entered her eyes, "Please tell me it isn't so. Please tell me that he still lives." Ranma looked around and saw three pairs of expectant hopeful, yet crestfallen eyes stare at him intently. He knew he probably should just lie to them...tell them he didn't know and just leave...leave this house of sorrow...leave the paradise in the backyard...leave the dryad that tempted him so...  
But he didn't.  
He couldn't lie.  
Because honor demanded he tell them.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said as he placed the photo of a laughing child on the table and stood up, "Ryoga told me that he wanted me to be the one to tell his fiancee...Akane Tendo... of his death. He died a soldier ma'am...he died for us..."  
The dryad looked at him then...her beautiful, magnificent golden eyes like seas of pain and loneliness...of helplessness and hopelessness...  
"Thank you," she whispered and he nodded before walking out the door, his every intent on never walking back into that house again.  
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Part IX: Try And Try Again  
Ranma opened the large oak door without knocking and walked straight to the kitchen where he kissed Kasumi brotherly on the cheek. The housewife giggled from her place by the sink and Tofu gave a joking growl from his place at the kitchen table reading the paper. Immediatly, the ragged, laughing city boy sobered and asked, "How's she doing?"  
Husband and wife looked at each other above the city boy's head and they shared a look. Ever since Ranma had given them the awful news of Ryoga's grievous death 2 weeks ago, he had been coming back each day to visit Akane and try to coax her out of her depression. There was definitly something between the two...if Akane would only open her eyes and look at the lovesick boy before her.  
  
Kasumi sighed and looked out the window to see Akane in a dark black dress moving back and forth slowly on her swing...her hum and tune burned out of her.  
"She's still wearing black and on that swing of hers. What are we going to do, Ranma? She has wasted 6 years of her life on a hope long dead and now she is past the marriageable age. I want my little baby sister to be happy, Ranma," Kasumi almost cried and Ranma felt his heart go out to the angel by the window.  
"She'll get better, Kasumi...she has too..." Ranma promised...wondering if it was to Kasumi or to his own self.  
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Part X: The Breaking Of The Wall And The Flooding Of The Tears  
She moved languidly back and forth on her swing...her motions slow and depressing...not at all like the enthusiastic, optimistic nymph she had been all her life. The child in the photo Ryoga had died holding was long dead...her spirit gone with her dead fiancee. Life just didn't have the smae colors as it did before and everything was in black and white now if not gray.  
  
Quite unexpectedly, a hand holding a white flower...a tuilp...appeared in front of her face and a laughing, familiar voice said jokingly next to her ear, "Wake up, sleeping beauty, your Prince is here."  
Akane watched as a handsome, cute, all too charming boy in an expensive city suit and pig-tail wlaked from behind her to stand in front of her.  
Ranma.  
What would she do without Ranma? He was the one that had truly helped her stay afloat all these weeks and days? How could she possibly have survived these tormenting days and hours without her city boy by her side encouraging her, she'll never know.  
  
"Hi, Ran-chan," she said softly, using the nickname that he made her use. *"Only my exclusive bestest of best friends get to call me this...and since you are one of the very very few...I expect you to do so too..."*  
Ranma looked at the dryad in front of him and sighed. She was wearing a dark, ebony black dress that didn't suit her or her fine, delicate coloring at all. *Why does she insist on being so melachony?* he wondered angrily.  
  
Seeing her city-boy frown, Akane looked away ashamed knowing exactly the reason why he did so...he wanted her to get over Ryoga...they all did...but she couldn't...for the memory of Ryoga (no matter how painful) was her only connection with the innocent days she had spent as a child...his memory was the only thing keeping her from her greatest fear... growing up...  
"Don't look at me like that, Ran-chan," she whispered and Ranma's frown grew deeper as he said, "Then don't act like that. Ryoga's dead Akane, he's nbot coming back no matter how much you ruin your life." There he said it...he said what they all wanted to say to her but was too afraid to because of her fragilty.  
  
Ranma heard her sharp indraw of breath and waited for the explosion. He wasn't disappointed.  
"Go away," she said sharply, coldly, "Go away and leave me the hell alone." She shouldn't have said that for now he was angry...*How dare she cling desperatly onto the memory of some dead fiancee and yet dare throw him, a live human being, out of her life?!* He had had enough of her moping.  
  
Stalking out of the garden, he entered the kitchen and opened the knife drawer to take out a big, sharp, steel knife.  
Closing the drawer with a loud thud, Ranma purposefully stode outside where Akane sat on her swing. Without giving her even a glance or bashing an eyelash Ranma proceeded to do what he came out here to do despite Akane yelling and tugging at him to stop.  
He cut down the ropes holding the swing.  
After he was done, the swing fell down onto the ground with a loud thud.  
  
Crying, Akane bent down and hugged the wooden board with the two ropes on the side onto her chest. She sobbed as she hugged it and rocked back and forth rythemically.  
"Look at me, Akane!" Ranma shouted and tugged at her chin to make her look at him. Akane tried tugging her chin away, but he was stronger so she just satisfied herself with looking stubbornly away from his face.  
"Look at me!" he shouted again and tugged at her chin. This time, she turned hatefuly, glaring eyes to him and with a sneer she spat a moutful of spit into his face.  
  
Ranma pulled back and took out his handkersheif from his front pocket and wiped away her spit calmly.  
"I admit, I deserved that," he said reasonably, knowing that snger will not get him anywhere with Akane at this moment.  
"You deserve more then that, you bastard," she spat, this time not literally.  
  
Looking up at her angrily, Ranma tugged the board from her hands and broke it in half over his knee.  
Holding up the two pieces he said, "This is all that is left of your memories, Akane! Whether you decide to accept reality or not, Ryoga is dead and is not coming back."  
"No...no..." she cried backing away, "Ryoga will come back. We'll get married like we always said we will and I'll stay and remain the child I was before. Things will be like they were before."  
  
Suddenly, looking at the tear-striken girl, Ranma reached a sudden realization.  
"This isn't about Ryoga's death, was it? Although part of it was...it's more then the death of your childhood friend...it's about the death of your childhood...you're afraid of change...and afraid to let go...aren't you?" he said in wonder. She looked up at him and he could see the truth in her eyes...the fear and pain of it all...  
  
Akane looked up at him for finally her eyes were open to her surroundings...she finally saw him...this wonderful boy...her city-boy...and she felt her heartbeat quicken. He was there...he was there and he wasn't going to leave her...he was part of the adulthood that she hated so...and yet she couldn't hate him...maybe everything won't be so bad...as long as he was by her side...  
"I miss Ryoga...I really do...but I miss my old life more," she confessed brokenly for the first time and with a soft spoken, "Akane," Ranma walked over and wrapped her in his arms and warmth.  
"I don't want you to leave, Ranma...Ran-chan...my city-boy...I'll grow up...I'll let the memories go...just please don't leave..." she begged of him and for the first time in his entire life, this wealthy, rich playboy truthfully said, "I'll never leave you, never, I couldn't if I tried."  
  
No one would believe that in that summer afternoon, Ranma Saotome, rich, wealthy, selfish, cocky, playboy extroardianre stood in a blossom tree paradise offering comfort and solace to a sobbing , blue-haired dryad.  
But Kasumi saw and she smiled for though she always loved Ryoga...she knew Ranma was better for Akane...  
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Part XI: Revenge Is Counted Sweetest  
Ukyo marched up and down the room, agitation and frustration along with anger in her every step. A purple-haired girl cooed in the lap of a long, black-haired boy and Ukyo shot them both a glare.  
"Would you two stop that?!" she yelled agitated. Shan Pu, in the process of feeding her current boyfriend, Mousse Tsu a grape said flippantly, "Let it go, Ukyo dear, Ranma is gone. Too far gone. He's fallen pretty hard for this country chit and probably won't be coming out of it anytime soon."  
  
"How is it that this boring country girl could keep his attention this long and steal him from me...and right under my very nose in fact!" Ukyo growled and suddenly an idea occured to her...a memory that she didn't remember before...  
  
{"Oh my dear, Ukyo, did you hear the latest news? It appears that a surviving captive of the War just returned a few days ago. Devilishly handsome, that man was, but it appears he was a countryman and is trying to find his lost love...some country girl. Ryoga Hibiki is his name and I do belive he's staying at the Telltale hotel..."}  
  
Shan Pu looked up as she saw Ukyo get a mean, evil glint in her eyes and she shivered as she asked in a thick accent, only shown when she was angry or terrified, "What Ukyo think of now? No do stupid thing now. Ranma never forgive you."  
"Why my dear, Shan, whatever do you mean? By the way, do you remember the name of the country girl's old, dead, War fiancee?" Ukyo asked maliciously.  
  
Shan Pu hesistated awhile and after seeing that maybe no harm could come from it she answered, "I believe it was Ryoga Hibiki, why do you ask-?" but it was too late for Ukyo had already stode down the hallway and out the door...her destination...the Telltale Hotel...and a lovesick War surviving hero...  
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Part XII: Regrets Are All We Have Left  
"Akane, I have a surprise for you, now close your eyes," Ranma laughed as he closed his hands over Akane's eyes. Akane giggled at her city-boy's playfulness, over the weeks Ranma hadn't tried to pressure to do or become something she wasn't ready for yet...  
keeping her childhood still alive and intact along with her new adult life...and for that she was eternally grateful. Also, the girl dryad found she was very strongly attracted to her city-boy like no one before and there were times when she would feel his intense gaze on her but when she looked up he looked away...and they both blushed...  
That was why she loved him so.  
He was like her...and they both traveled at a pace in which they were comftorable.  
  
He didn't say 'I love you' when she wasn't ready yet...in fact he didn't say it at all... and she didn't say 'I love you' but deep inside both their hearts they knew...they knew...  
He led her, with his hands still covering her eyes, into her garden and backyard. Finally, he removed his hands and she opened her eyes...and she gasped. There on her old blossom tree was a new swing...only this one was made for two...her and him...  
  
Turning shining, wondering eyes to his, Akane hugged him and they stared at the other intently. They both leaned in for a kiss they knew they both wanted...but a loud cough interrupted them...and Akane turned her face to the kitchen backdoorway to see the most horrible and wonderful sight of her whole life.  
  
Ryoga stood there, as handsome as ever, a scron on his face as he said, "What a touching scene. I'm glad you decided to keep your promise...Ranma...and comfort my fiancee."  
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Part XIII: A Marriage Proposal  
Ryoga looked at the one girl that he could ever love and he saw somehow that he was losing her. Ranma had left earlier that day to head back to town to allow them time to talk but inside he somehow knew that a part of Akane had went with him.  
"Do you love him, Akane," he asked softly, knowing the answer and yet still tormenting himself by asking.  
"It matters not, Ryoga, I am with you now. You are back," was the only answer she would give him...could possibly give him...  
  
"Marry me, Akane," he said urgently, shocking both her and himself, "Marry me like we always planned...like we said we would since we were children...I have only you left, Akane...please do this for me...marry me...say you will."  
She looked at him and felt a deep sympathy for her long-time, lifelong friend and she couldn't deny him anything, "I will, Ryoga." He gave a whoop of joy and hugged her tight but if he dared look deep in Akane's tears he would have seen the image of a pig-tailed city-boy.  
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Part XIX: Words He Could Never Say  
"Ranma," she whispered in the doorway. She had traveled all the way from the country to see him here in the city. The city had scared and frightened her and yet she braved it all just to see him and here she was in the doorway of his home to see him in the arms of another woman.  
Ukyo turned around and saw a naive, country girl in the doorway and giving a malicious giggle she kissed Ranma hard on the mouth once before sauntering out.  
  
Ranma barely noticed it and if Akane deemed to look closer she would have seen the vacant look in his eyes...or the dialtion of his pupils...or the slur of his movements...  
Ranma Saotome was drunk.  
Dead drunk.  
So dead drunk that he had confused Ukyo for a beautiful blue-haired dryad that tormented his nights and days.  
  
Looking up, he sneered at Akane and asked, "What are you doing here, Akane. Go back to your fiancee." Damn his honor. Damn it all. Why did Ryoga have to be alive? Why did he have to come back and ruin Ranma's only paradise?  
"He asked me to marry him," the said dryad murmured softly and Ranma sat up immediatly, his eyes wide, now fully awake.  
"And what did you say?" he asked harshly.  
"I said yes," she whispered. With a low growl, Ranma picked up his glass of sake and threw it against the wall, smashing it into pieces.  
  
"Tell me, Ranma, tell me what I want to hear and I'll refuse him. Say the three words that I want to hear most and I'll move heaven and Earth itself to be with you," she begged. He opened his mouth...and was ready to say the words that would breach this gap and tear down this wall...say the words that would allow him to be back into his paradise with his dryad...  
But he couldn't.  
He felt it...he meant it...but the words wouldn't come...  
  
"I'm sorry, Akane," he whispered brokenly and she bit her bottom lip as she ran out of the room...two shattered hearts in her wake...  
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Part XX: Day Of The Wedding  
He had drunk himself into a stupor her wedding day and couldn't bring himself to go. But after awhile, he saw the mistakes he made and knew that he would live to regret it if he let Akane go through with this marriage. Dressing himself quickly, he got out of bed and ran the miles to the place the wedding was taking place.  
  
When he reached it there and stopped he saw Akane turn adoring eyes to Ryoga's and say, "I do." That was when he lost consciousness and the world lost all meaning.  
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Part XXI: And The Years Go By So Fast  
Ranma greeted the people at the Christmas party with good humor. Kasumi was here and she was over 7 months pregnant, Shan Pu was here and he met her husband Mousse Tsu...Ukyo was gone...had been gone since he told her once and for all that he could never love her the way she wanted him too. Two years. It had been two years and things were so different, So very different. Two years since his life was ripped and torn apart by a blue-haired dryad.  
  
He saw her then, across the room, and she took his breath away just like their first meeting. But his child dryad was gone and in her place was a radiant nymph. She no longer wore her simple white dresses and straw sandals but instead a long, flowing dark wine red dress and her hair was longer and curled in the latest fashion.  
  
Walking over he pulled at her elbow and dragged her into a secluded corner. She looked up at him and he could feel the tension and unrestrained love they held for each other still there...untarnished by the years...  
"Ranma-" she began but he just lowered his head and did what they wanted to but never got to do the years before...he kissed the living daylights out of her...  
When he raised his head he said, "I love you, Akane. I love you. I love you. I love you. I can't live without you. Please go away with me. We can get you a divorce...we'll sail abroad...whatever you want...just please...go away with me..."  
  
She pushed him away and said regretfully, "I'm sorry, Ranma, but it's too late. Too late for us. Too late for love. Maybe if you had told me this before I got married and maybe if you had told me this even after I got married...I would have went away with you...but it's too late now..."  
"But Akane, why-?" he began but a voice rang out, "Akane-chan, where are you?"  
  
Straightening herself, Akane called out sweetly in a demure tone, "Right here Ryoga." Ranma watched in horror as Ryoga appeared from the shadows.  
In a wheelchair.  
  
Akane walked behind her husband and said in a soft voice, "Ryoga had caught a rare illness during the War and we are still trying to cure it."  
"I'm sorry, Ranma..." she whispered and led her husband away...  
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Part XXII: Haven't We Done This Before?  
7 years.  
He had been gone for 7 long years.   
Sighing Ranma walked through the old country house. Kasumi was dead. Tofu was dead. And now...Ryoga...his old best friend...was dead also...dead from the War disease that they never cured him of.  
  
Ryoga's funeral was last week...but Ranma didn't go...it would have been too hyprocritical. All these years...women chased the handsome, urban man with the wealthy Saotome fortune...but he didn't let them catch him...because none of them measured up to her...his dryad.  
  
A humming tune cut through his mind and he followed it quickly to the backdoor where he opened. It was the same scene again...lush green grass and blossoms of all colors were on the floor. And in the middle of it all sat a 29-year-old-year-old dryad that looked as beautiful as ever with long, dark-blue hair with blossoms on it. She wore a white dress and straw sandals dangled from her feet. In her arms was another sleeping dryad...a smaller one with short dark blue-black hair in a small white dress and straw sandals.   
  
She didn't look at him, but Ranma walked over softly, seating himself in the second swing.   
"I love you," he said simply, truthfully. Akane stopped humming and turned wistful, tearful eyes to his.  
"Is it too late?" he asked her.  
  
Looking back towards the house, Akane whispered, "I mourn for Ryoga...my husband...and yet my heart is not broken...do you know why?"  
"No, tell me," he whispered.  
"Because my heart had already belonged to another and you can not break something that belongs to someones else. I love you, Ranma," she said.   
  
He smiled and looked back towards the backdoor of the house. Both their hands found each other and held on.  
So on that summer day, a blue-haired dryad and her city-boy found each other once again...and they were never going to let go...  
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End file.
